


Define Agni's Will

by Josh Spicer (joshspicer)



Series: What If? [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 23:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21216722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joshspicer/pseuds/Josh%20Spicer
Summary: What if Zuko took a moment to think of what to say during the council meeting? How much would change if he stopped and thought about his role in the court and his relationship with his father?Hello to all. I am your humble host. My job is to present to you a slight change in the history you know. Is it something so innocuous and irrelevant or something life-changing and unbelievable? How much can twist from one little change? Let us read, and hopefully inspire you to to write or add on to this universe.





	Define Agni's Will

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender and all of that.

A boy, barely into puberty, with nary the world on his shoulders and a family tree as rotted as a citrus left out in the sun too long, finds himself in a council meeting. Having been invited by the person who resides over it, the collection of generals and political heads who have never seen a day on an actual battlefield can only grimace at the boy.

This boy is the Prince. The person who watches over this council meeting with eyes like a messenger hawk is the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord has opted to give his Prince an opportunity. Whether this was a moment of weakness, or perhaps a chance to remedy what he _believes_ to be weakness is not relevant. What _is_ relevant is that the Prince is here, on this day, in this year, in this meeting.

The Prince pays attention. He pays more attention now than he has in his kata trainings. He pays more attention now than he has in his sword mastering. He pays attention to the way General Ling’s lip twitches when he talks. He pays attention to the way Captain Toru’s eyes glisten when General Yao speaks about plans and schemes.

He pays attention because that’s what he promised his Uncle.

The Prince pays attention to the various war mongrels who are only interested in the benefit of their own power. He pays attention to Captain Ling’s words as he tries to weave together a tapestry that would make even Jeong Jeong cease his desertion, but only stitches a quilt that would make even his grandmother wince.

A brief glance towards the Fire Lord finds them matching gazes. The Prince, always less willing to face confrontation—especially from _him_—quickly moves his eyes back to Ling’s mouth.

The Prince pays attention to the General’s idea.

It’s a simple idea, not a bad one given the general nature of their nation: send a legion of young recruits out to die to distract the Earth Kingdom soldiers. This will allow our own army elsewhere to take advantage and claim land where needed.

The idea has merit.

The idea is solid.

But for a group of soldiers, young recruits, who have willingly put their lives on the line for the Prince’s Nation…this idea is horrible.

The idea is incorrect.

The idea is…not right.

General Ling continues to speak. The rest of the people around the table seem to be in agreement.

Were this any other timeline, in any other place, in any other year, the Prince would’ve stayed silent.

But given where we are now, the Prince decides to speak.

His mouth opens…

Only Captain Tiao seems to have noticed, his eyes focused on the Prince. The Captain turns his eyes to the Fire Lord, who also has his eyes focused on the young lad.

The Prince closes his mouth.

By this point, the rest of the table seems to have noticed the tense silence. General Ling has ceased speaking. He turns his head towards the Prince, glancing towards him.

The General turns his eyes towards the Fire Lord.

“Is there something you would like to say, Prince Zuko?” the Fire Lord asks.

The Prince hesitates. He’s already put notice on himself. He’s already gained the attention of the other, more experienced members of the court.

Were this any other timeline, in any other place, in any other year, the Prince would have stuck to his proverbial guns and shouted at General Ling’s idiocy.

In this timeline, in this place, in this year, the Prince is much more calm and relaxed.

In the time frame allowed by the council’s silence, the Prince thinks of what to say.

With a breath in…and a falsely calm breath out…the Prince speaks.

“General Ling…I respect all that you’ve provided for our nation.” He’s been in the court for 30 years and has never left the Fire Nation.

“I respect all the accolades and merits you’ve been given for your service.” He’s never seen a battle outside of politics and the occasional scuffle with a young, drunk boy at a tavern.

“And I respect you as a man who has earned his place on this council.” The Prince has seen this man at the palace for all 13 years of his life. Never once as he spoken to him.

“But to send out young recruits, young soldiers who are willing to give their lives so openly to our nation, is a fool’s decision.”

The response is immediate. General Ling is outraged. Captain Toru narrows his eyes a t the Prince. General Yao shakes his head, looking down at the table with his eyes closed.

They are all silenced by the raised hand of the Fire Lord.

“Prince Zuko, explain yourself to the council,” he says.

It wasn’t a request.

The Prince swallows air, failing to alleviate the nervousness that now plagues him. All eyes return to the Prince. Where curiosity once lied now resides only anger.

“This young legion are filled with soldiers who will fight and die not only for our nation, not only for our Fire Lord, but also for Agni himself. It is through Agni’s will they were recruited. It is through Agni’s will they all became one. It is through Agni’s will they fight in our nation’s name. To treat their lives so meaninglessly is to throw Agni’s will away like it itself is meaningless.”

A quick hush rolls over the group.

Captain Tiao gives no Zuko no surcease, being the first to speak.

“Do you have an alternative plan, Prince Zuko?” he asks.

Which was the Prince’s only trump card. For all that good speeches can do, there is little even _he_ can do to come up with an alternative. Perhaps his sister could, even if the answer would only be worse in terms of morality but better in execution.

All the same, the Prince answers with the tact he has been taught.

“I do not. All I request is that you do not treat our solders’ lives as tools. All of our nation’s lives have merit. To treat any as lesser is to treat Agni as lesser. I apologize for my interruption, General Ling. Please proceed.”

Captain Tiao nods his head in…affirmation? Understanding? The answer is unclear to the Prince.

Captain Toru and General Yao also accept the apology, returning their eyes to General Ling.

Who continues to speak in an uproar.

“My Lord, the Prince has spoken out of turn. This insubordination is an insult to me personally. I demand recourse,” he says.

The Prince lowers his head, opting the burden of punishment to fall to the Fire Lord.

Unlike the fluffy words spoken moments ago that dissuaded most at the table, the Fire Lord’s will _is_ Agni’s will.

Were this any other timeline, any other place, any other year, there would be serious repercussions for the Prince.

But in _this_ timeline, in _this_ place, in _this_ year, the Fire Lord is less sudden, less prone to rash decisions due to his son's supposed slight on a senior.

“The Prince’s speech, while out of turn, does have merit. I will forgive him of his outburst. Please continue General Ling,” he says.

The Prince nods his head, bowing even further to the Fire Lord.

General Ling, caught in a corner, does the same, albeit bowing lower than the Prince.

On this day, the Prince’s life is changed. A life-changing turn of events does not occur. The butterfly is not tapped. The wave is not rocked by a ripple.

On this day, the Prince escapes the war council with his life and his honor.

* * *

It is close to evening when the Prince sits in front of the Fire Lord. Both males are seated on plush, feather-filled cushions, the smoke of the tea in front of them wafting in the in-between.

It has been six hours since the Prince’s outburst.

This is long enough for both males to have thought about what occurred. This is long enough for the Fire Lord to have spoken to his brother about what occurred. This is long enough for the Prince to have spoken to his sister about what occurred.

But it is not long enough for what occurred to have any residual effect of any true accord.

In fact, it was the conversation between prince and princess which sparked the meeting to take place.

“Father was supposed to be furious,” she said. “You should’ve listened to Uncle for once,” she whispered. “This is why Father loves me more,” she muttered.

Six hours of thoughts. Six hours of introspective. Six hours of nonstop reflection on one’s life.

Even for a boy barely into puberty with a family tree as rotted as a citrus left out in the sun too long, this is enough for a revelation.

The Fire Lord is the first to speak.

“You wished to see me, Prince Zuko?” the Fire Lord asks.

There’s no fire to surround him, to empower him, to increase the image of Agni. There’s no captains or generals to lift up the Fire Lord to a pedestal the likes of which no person could ever hope to match.

It’s just the Fire Lord and the Prince.

The father and the son.

“Why do we play this game Father?” the Prince asks.

It’s not the words that cause the Fire Lord’s eyes to widen. It is the manner in which the question is asked.

For a few moments, the Fire Lord allows the Prince to witness this shock, this surprise.

When the face is etched into the Prince’s memory, the Fire Lord responds.

“For years I have watched you, my son. For years I have seen you fail time and time again. Even when not compared to your sister, I have often seen you for what you are: a _failure_. And yet, in the council room…I found a glimpse. A fleeting moment where perhaps…you would be as great as me,” he says.

The Prince responds just as the last syllable hits. “But a glimpse is all that was shown. For years I have been in Azula’s shadow. For years I have seen Uncle watch what should have been his being ruled by someone willing to kill their own father. For years I have waited for Mother to come home. And for years, Father…for years I have sat by while you gave Azula everything…and I was left to rest in my failure.”

“Hold your tongue, boy,” the Fire Lord demands.

The venom coursing through his voice strikes the Prince. Shaken, but not riddled by the poison, the he merely glances down towards their untouched cups of tea.

“I apologize. I did not mean to overstep my bounds. I am merely wondering why we continue this game we play. We both know it is Azula that will take the throne. Were it not for tradition and the Fire Sages, it is more than likely it would already be granted to her. But here we sit, face-to-face. So I ask again Father…why do we play this game?” the Prince asks.

The Fire Lord puts his hand on his chin, pondering on the predicament the Prince has presented to the parent.

“Allow me to respond with another question. One asked by Captain Tiao earlier: what do you propose in return?” the Fire Lord asks.

Here it is. The big gamble. The one thing the Prince has thought about all day coming into fruition.

“I would like to officially request my title of heir apparent be bequeathed to Princess Azula,” the Prince says.

The response isn’t immediate. In fact, the Fire Lord merely nods, this end result being obvious, especially to someone as astute as him.

“I accept this proposal, but I must wonder…are you aware of the reactions you will gain? Not everyone is as revered as my brother, even though his own failures shadow him to this day,” the Fire Lord.

“Permission to speak freely, my Lord?” the Prince asks.

With a nod, the Prince speaks.

“It is of no fault of my own that I am left as second best. I might’ve been lucky to be born, but I am much luckier to have been born a part of this family. Were I a part of any other noble stature, I have no doubts I would’ve been near the top of my class, not _at_ the top of it. I have no doubt I would’ve fit in with the other boys in my class better. There would be no expectations. I might not have been given the chance to be taught by Sifu Piandao, but I would be allowed other outlets to explore my love of the sword.

“It is only through the expectations placed upon me by this family" _you_ "that I am considered a failure. If Agni’s will has allowed me this burden, than it is my burden to bare. But if I am to be seen as a failure, than allow me the privilege of the freedom the throne does not allow. We both know Azula is better suited anyhow.”

The Fire Lord nods once more, accepting the Prince’s words despite the vehemence in which they were spoken.

For in the words were no lies.

“Permission granted,” the Fire Lord says. “I only request one thing in return.”

“Yes Father?” the Prince asks.

“If you are to remain a part of this family as an abdicated heir, than I request you take after your Uncle. Join the military. You seemed so passionate earlier to defend our younger soldiers…why not become one?”

The Prince did not expect this, but despite the five seconds of surprise, he realizes this is par for the course for the Fire Lord.

With a nod, the Prince accepts.

“I agree to these conditions. My only hope is that I am not sent to die as a meaningless distraction.”

“Watch yourself. I might have agreed earlier, but you are still speaking to your Lord and Father,” the Fire Lord says. 

“Of course. My apologies,” the Prince says.

He bows to the Fire Lord. In response, he merely waves this off, rolling his eyes

“Yes, yes. Worry not, Prince Zuko, your status will assure you a modicum of safety. To be quite honest with you, my son, I have no doubt you’re better suited for a battlefield than a throne. While I no longer expect you to be as great as myself, I still expect great things from you. If you require a goal, than it is to surpass my brother. Perhaps then will you be seen as more than a failure,” the Fire Lord says.

So it was done.

In this timeline, in this place, in this year, it was the smallest hesitation which allowed the Prince to escape this day with no burn on his face. With no dishonor to his name. With a new goal in life, not as a banished prince searching for a legend, but as a remembered prince with a newfound purpose.

Would the Prince grow to surpass the famed Dragon of the West? What would the Prince’s relationship be with the commander who sits as the Fire Lord’s best friend and closest confidante? Where would the Prince be on the day an iceberg at the South Pole is broken and the lives of everybody in the world changes?

Well…

My apologies, I am getting ahead of myself. All of those are stories for another day.

Until next time. I bid you a farewell, and a hope that you will continue your own stories where the spaces of mine are left to wander.

**Author's Note:**

> As I said, I implore you reading to be inspired, whether to write your own work or to add on to this and weave your own story from this strand of timeline.


End file.
